Gifty did not deserve the events in her childhood that lead to the plot of this book, but nor is she one of those Christlike heroes who survive their hardships with beautiful, tragic resilience and unfaltering love for their fellow man. I'm not even sure whether what didn't kill Gifty made her stronger or just harder. Her unpretty growth around it makes her infinitely more real, however. Crazy, to call a neuroscientist relatable, but her ugly parts feel like I could have grown them myself. It's a very intimate book. I can only imagine that must compound for readers who share more of her background.

The ending felt rushed to me, though I am not unhappy with the destination. Perhaps it just needs time to settle.